Members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program Provide
Financial Support
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Financial support from Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) through the Ryder
Charitable Foundation is enabling the American Red Cross to help
residents impacted by the band of tornadoes that recently made their way
through Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia, by
offering a safe place to stay, a hot meal, and a shoulder to lean on.
In the days and weeks to come, the Red Cross will be coordinating with
emergency officials and local community partners to help people impacted
by the tornadoes get back on their feet. The Red Cross will keep
shelters open as long as needed, in addition to providing mobile feeding
and mental health support to those affected by the storm.
“Thanks to the generosity of our Annual Disaster Giving Program members
like Ryder, the Red Cross is able to mobilize supplies and staff to
provide help to people and communities in need,” said Neal Litvack,
chief development officer at the American Red Cross. “These
contributions, along with the support of the American public, are
critical during floods and similar disasters because they enable the Red
Cross to rush immediate relief to disaster victims before the first
donation has been given.”
Weather forecasters with the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction
Center say that the United States will experience a very active tornado
season this year. According to The National Severe Storms Laboratory,
about 1,000 tornadoes hit the U.S., yearly. Tornado season generally is
in the spring when tornadoes are more prevalent from April through July,
with May and June being the peak months.
Since the Annual Disaster Giving Program’s inception in 1997, members
have pledged donations to the Red Cross in advance of major disasters to
ensure an immediate response will meet the needs of people who are
affected by disasters of all sizes, at no cost and regardless of income.
“As a member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program,
Ryder helps to ensure the Red Cross can be on the scene of a disaster at
a moment’s notice,” said Bob Brunn, Vice President of Investor Relations
and Public Affairs, and Ryder Charitable Foundation Executive Director.
“We are proud to stand beside the Red Cross as they help those affected
by disaster.”
Individuals can join forces with companies who are members of the Annual
Disaster Giving Program and help provide food, shelter, emotional
support and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters
across the country each year, disasters like the recent tornadoes,
either by going to www.redcross.org
or calling 1-800- RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make a donation.
Other members of the Annual Disaster Giving Program include major
leading companies such as 3M, Altria, Aon, Cisco Foundation, ConAgra
Foods, Darden Restaurants, Inc, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, FedEx
Corporation, GE Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, John Deere
Foundation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Kraft Foods, Lowe's Companies,
Inc., Merck, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide Insurance Foundation, Northrop
Grumman, Southwest Airlines, State Farm, State Street Foundation,
Target, The TJX Companies, Inc., UnitedHealthcare, UPS and Walmart.
About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial transportation, logistics and supply
chain management solutions company. Ryder’s stock is a component of the
Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Inbound
Logistics magazine has recognized Ryder as the top third party
logistics provider and included Ryder in its 2010 “50 Green Partners”
listing. Ryder also ranked 114 out of the top 500 U.S. companies and
sixth in its industry sector in the 2010 Newsweek Green Rankings. Security
Magazine has named Ryder one of the top companies for security
practices in the transportation, logistics, supply chain, and
warehousing sector. Ryder is a proud member of the American
Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, supporting national and
local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more information
on Ryder System, Inc., visit www.ryder.com.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to
victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood;
teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and
supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a
charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on
volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its
mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org
or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements and
information included in this news release are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to risks,
uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these forward-looking
statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including
those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not
possible for management to predict all such risk factors or to assess
the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Source: Ryder System, Inc.